For many of us a career in sports is what we dreamt about growing up. Only the smallest percentage actually see their dreams come true though.

Most of us have to enjoy the next best thing, whether that be playing amateur sport or plugging in and going full career mode in gaming.

It’s the first port of call for sports fans across the globe and there are a number of ways to virtually live the dream no matter what the sport.

We take a look at the closest ways to enjoy sporting reality through various gaming mediums…

Simulation Games

The ultimate sporting role player games, particularly when it comes to soccer are simulation titles.

The likes of Football Manager 2019 put you in the shoes of manager leaving you to make the decisions on transfers, team selection and much, much more.

They’re becoming more lifelike than ever before with you now able to communicate with players, press and the board within the game, giving you as closer experience to the real thing as possible.

Without actually being in the dugout yourself of course.

You can pick it up across desktop and mobile devices, meaning just like a real manager, you’re never off duty!

Fantasy Football

Similarly, fantasy football is another type of game that thrusts you into the hot seat. You can play it across a range of different sports as well as being able to find fantasy football betting sites even these days.

You can find an in-depth football betting strategy guide online across these fantasy football betting platforms as well as useful tips on how to ultimately make you a manager of your own team, and draft the real players you want.

You’ll have a salary cap or playing budget to work to, so you can’t just simply choose the best players, making it a real test of tactics, knowledge and intuition.

Most players enter leagues with their friends, however you can also enter large national leagues with huge prizes on offer.

Fantasy Football is bigger than ever before in the US and is a global phenomenon as fans look to get the same sort of thrill as the managers do in real life.

Career Modes

Most EA Sports sporting games have career modes that place you in the role of professional athlete and that experience is only going to get even more lifelike with the introduction of virtual reality.

The likes of Madden 19 and the FIFA franchise allow you to play as yourself and build a career just as you would in real life, improving with experience and earning the right to Captain your side.

On the likes of PlayStation and Xbox, the graphics are among the best on the market, with it almost like watching video these days rather than computer generated displays.

They’re so good, the athletes themselves play them!

Play In Tournaments

Of course, while you may not be talented enough to make it as a real life pro, there’s nothing stopping you from being a FIFA star or more, picking up lucrative prizes yourself.

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Augusta Free Press launched in 2002. The site serves as a portal into life in the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia – in a region encompassing Augusta County, Albemarle County and Nelson County and the cities of Charlottesville, Staunton and Waynesboro, at the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail.